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Friends of police officer testify in trial

Tuesday was a difficult day for rescue personnel who knew Rio Rancho Police Officer Gregg Benner. Benner's widow, Julie, was also in the courtroom when prosecutors showed very graphic photos of her husband after he was shot.

Tuesday was a difficult day for rescue personnel who knew Rio Rancho Police Officer Gregg Benner. Benner's widow, Julie, was also in the courtroom when prosecutors showed very graphic photos of her husband after he was shot.

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Updated: 6:24 PM MDT Sep 13, 2016

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WEBVTT NANCY? NANCY: SHELLY, THIS WAS A REALLY TOUGH DAY FOR A LOT OF FIRST RESPONDERS. ALSO A DIFFICULT DAY FOR JULIE BENNER. SHE HAD TO SIT IN THE COURTROOM, WHEN PROSECUTORS SHOWED VERY GRAPHIC PHOTOS OF HER HUSBAND, JUST AFTER THE FATAL SHOOTING. JUST FEET AWAY FROM JULIE BENNER SITS THE MAN ACCUSED OF SHOOTING AND KILLING HER HUSBAND, RIO RANCHO POLICE OFFICER GREGG NIGEL BENNER, ON MEMORIAL DAY OF LAST YEAR. ON THE STAND TODAY, RESCUE PERSONNEL. INCLUDING MEMBERS OF THE RIO RANCHO FIRE DEPARTMENT, WHO HEARD THE INTIAL CALL ABOUT THE SHOOTING. THEY GOT THERE IN TWO MINUTES. RYAN: AS WE ARRIVED ON SCENE, WE SAW OFFICER BENNER LYING IN THE STREET, ON HIS BACK, WITH SEVERAL CIVILIANS IN A LARGE NUMBER OF OFFICERS PERFORMING CPR. NANCY: FIREFIGHTER RYAN FLORSHEIM SAID BENNER WAS MORE THAN JUST A COLLEAGUE. HE WAS A FRIEND. RYAN: HE HAD LOST A LARGE AMOUNT OF BLOOD. AND WE COULD NOT FIND A PULSE, AT THAT TIME. NANCY: FIREFIGHTERS SAID AN AMBULANCE WAS RIGHT BEHIND THEM. THEY LOADED OFFICER BENNER INTO IT. AND CONTINUED TRYING TO SAVE HIS LIFE. THEY PLACED A HEART MONITOR ON HIM. >> HIS HEART WANTED TO LIVE. BUT FOR SOME REASON, HE WASN'T PRODUCING A PULSE. NANCY: FIREFIGHTER WILLIAM MARTINEZ WAS THERE, TOO. AND THIS WAS PERSONAL FOR HIM, AS WELL. >> DID YOU RECOGNIZE OFFICER BENNER? WILLIAM: I DID. >> HOW DID YOU KNOW HIM? WILLIAM: HE'S A CLOSE FRIEND OF THE FAMILY. NANCY: THOSE RESCUERS SAY, DESPITE SO MANY PEOPLE TRYING TO SAVE BENNER'S LIFE, THERE WAS JUST NOTHING THEY COULD HAVE DONE. THEY LOST THEIR FRIEND AND FELLOW PUBLIC SERVANT. AND JULIE BENNER LOST HER HUSBAND. SHE WATCHED, AS PROSECUTORS DISPLAYED PHOTOS OF BENNER'S BODY. PHOTOS FAR TOO GRAPHIC TO SHOW ON T OK, LATE THIS AFTERNOON, STATE POLICE ALSO TESTIFIED ABOUT ARRESTING ANDREW ROMERO. THEY SAID HE WAS HUNGRY. AND WANTED TO TALK TO HIS GIRLFRIEND, TABATHA LITTLES. LITTLES, WHO TOOK A PLEA DEAL,

Friends of police officer testify in trial

Tuesday was a difficult day for rescue personnel who knew Rio Rancho Police Officer Gregg Benner. Benner's widow, Julie, was also in the courtroom when prosecutors showed very graphic photos of her husband after he was shot.